


Solace of Shadow

by SmallSith



Category: The Grisha Trilogy - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-01
Updated: 2018-12-01
Packaged: 2019-09-04 22:00:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16797859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmallSith/pseuds/SmallSith
Summary: Ivan receives the news that his uncle, father, and brothers are dead, killed in the war. The Darkling deals with the aftermath.





	Solace of Shadow

**Author's Note:**

> if i have to become the sole content creator for this ship then so help me jesus but i will face god and walk backwards into hell with both hands full of ivanling fic

The letter comes, and Ivan fears for the worst, opening it at breakfast with shaking hands.

The news is terrible, worse than he had ever dreamed. His father, his uncle, both his brothers- all dead. The Darkling watches all the color drain from Ivan's beautiful face, and feels his heart skip a beat. Outwardly, he betrays nothing, his face remains impassive. He watches his lieutenant's hands crumple the paper, he's holding it so tightly, reading it over and over again as if he could make the words say something else, anything else.

They are in the dining hall, surrounded on all sides by watchful gazes, and the Darkling moves before he is even aware he is doing it. Uncharacteristically- foolishly- unguarded, uncontrolled. Gently, so gently, he takes the paper from Ivan's hands and guides the deeply shaken heartrender back to his own quarters to let him grieve with dignity, without the press of dozens of eyes upon him. He ushers him out of the room before anyone can register the shock and bottomless grief written on Ivan's face, before the heartrender can fall any deeper into The Darkling scans the letter's contents, and his heart squeezes in pity.

“This will never happen again,” the Darkling promises him, holding Ivan in his arms as he weeps uncontrollably. They sit in the Darkling’s room with all the lights out. The room is dark, hardly light enough to see by, but it comforts Ivan to be in the dark. He has never feared shadows. He does not fear them now. He only holds onto his commander for dear life as his body shakes with the force of his grief.

Inwardly, where Ivan cannot hear him, the Darkling curses the king and his careless generals, curses them for sending men to their deaths unnecessarily. For sending soldiers into danger with no real need. For taking Ivan's entire family from him in one fell swoop. He holds his weeping lieutenant in his arms, and he promises that the war will end in Ivan’s lifetime, he will see it done.

An entire family destroyed in a single battle, and all for nothing. This will be the last time this happens, he swears, and he holds Ivan’s shaking body tighter, pressing gentle kisses to he crown of hid head, to the part in his hair. He holds Ivan until all his tears are shed, and he falls into a deep, fitful sleep full of dreams that the Darkling wishes he could protect this beautiful, devoted boy from.

Ivan sleeps in the Darkling's arms, and dreams, and the Darkling holds him all through the night, whispering kind words interspersed with promises that it will never happen again, that he will end this war, for Ivan’s sake if nothing else, and if a few tears slip from his own eyes for Ivan’s suffering, well, there is no one there to see it.


End file.
